Electrophoresis devices are known wherein a housing frame is provided to enclose two electrodes separated by a bridge element using a gel or other separating medium. Each end is provided with an electrical conductor such as an uncovered wire, and this conductor extends along the inside of the housing frame to a connector such as a banana plug at opposite ends of the wire, e.g., as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,702. External electrical power is applied to or removed from the housing frame by connecting or disconnecting electrical wires at the banana plugs. Although the plugs are shown in the '702 patent as pointing vertically upward, they also have been oriented instead along a horizontal axis. The plugs preferably are accessible only through openings in a cover as shown in the '702 patent, providing a safety feature which prevents opening the cover without disconnecting power.
Whatever the orientation of the banana plugs, such a method of connecting and disconnecting power is disadvantageous because the friction - fit of banana plugs requires some force to be applied when the plugs are connected or disconnected (prior to accessing samples in the device). This force in turn is transmitted back to the electrophoresis housing frame, and tends to undesirably disturb the electrophoresis gel and the samples contained therein. Yet, such disconnect is imperative to protect the user from a possible short upon accessing the samples inside the housing frame.
It has been a problem, therefore, prior to this invention, to provide a method of and apparatus for disconnecting the banana plugs of the electrophoresis device, without disturbing the electrophoresis gel samples inside.